Süreyya Ayhan - Turkeys Secret Weapon
Süreyya Ayhan won Turkey's first title in the history of the European Championships, when she defied the Romanian after a shoulder-to-shoulder sprint which lasted the length of the home straight.
The 23-year-old Ayhan won in 3min 58.79sec, denying Szabo by just two hundredths of a second. A long way back, in a lifetime best of 4:01.28, was the Russian Tatyana Tomashova.
The last time Szabo and Ayhan had met was in the Edmonton world final, 367 days earlier. The Romanian had won then, in 4:00.57, with the Turkish woman eighth, in 4:08.17.
With three world titles behind her, two at 5000m and one at 1500, plus Olympic 5000m gold, each of them won with blistering final pace, nobody was more shocked than Szabo to find the strongest weapon in her armoury was impotent.
Ayhan confirmed that she had not raced at all, anywhere, since Edmonton a year and two days earlier. The sports student from Gaizi Antep had also been eighth in the 1997 European junior championships, and had failed to progress beyond the Olympic semi-finals in Sydney.
This, however, was a completely new woman.
Turkey has a number of training camps, and Ayhan, recovered from long-term injury problems, told how she had profited. She lives in one of these, at Erzurum, at an altitude of 2200 metres, and trains at 1800m.
"I am more prepared now than at the World Championships," said Ayhan, who has been coached since she was 13 by a former cross-country skier, Yucel Kop. "I had been injured a year ago, just after the World Championships, and did not train for six months." After medical treatment for a hamstring problem in Germany she returned. "Then I spent six months getting ready, but I did not run any races because I was afraid of getting hurt again."
"Even if you offered me the whole world, I would rather take this gold medal," said Ayhan. "I knew I was in good shape. I was confident and ready to win. I had no special tactic."
If so, she was blessed with intuition. Ayhan won with a classic demonstration of front-running off a fast initial pace which defused Szabo: 60.14 at 400, then easing to 2:06.55 at 800, and 3:12.84 at 1200, before a final 300m in just inside 46 seconds.
"I always run my own race, and prepared myself really well in several training camps before the Championships, although I had injury problems for over two years. Shortly after the race I felt really sick. It was just so exhausting, all the emotions and the atmosphere in the stadium. I was known in Turkey before, but when I come home now, it's probably going to be unbelievable . . . This medal is very important for my country. It is the first gold in 50 years."
Turkey had previously won just one bronze medal in the whole history of these championships: by Ruhi Sarialp, in the triple jump, in 1950.
Ayhan's incredulity was echoed by Szabo. "The last time I competed against the Turkish girl was in Edmonton. From then on I haven't seen her. Of course I am not very happy, because the next chance will come in four years."
Ayhan's form, she said, was: "a big surprise".
The 27-year-old old Szabo spoke of switching to the 1500m in Zurich. " I believe I am in 3:55 shape, for sure." But she was uncertain as to whether she would be around four years from now. ""I don't see me lasting another four years. It's a lot to ask. I come behind younger ladies, and my body is getting tired. Each year is harder. I am pushing my body in a lot of grand prix meetings. When I go, I will go with my head held high. I know my body, and I would like to start another life, a family. I can't push my body all the time."
One athlete whose body had betrayed him when he was at his peak proved, however, that strength of will and purpose can rekindle the ability to win titles.
The Great Dane, Wilson Kipketer, unleashed the scorching finish which had helped consign Sebastian Coe's world two-lap mark to history, even if the finishing time was modest.
The Kenyan-born Kipketer's pace over the final 130 metres was sufficient to dispatch Switzerland's reigning world champion, Andre Bucher, and Nils Schumann, the host's Olympic and defending champion.
Kipketer had been troubled by life-threatening malaria, and three stress fractures in his left foot.
"I have been fighting problems for three years," said Kipketer. "To have the gold medal and all my problems behind me is wonderful. I have my life back."
He is philosophical as to whether he can reapproach the times which deposed Coe. "Because of all that, I am starting again from zero. It is another chapter now. I do not think about what I achieved before, because I am not the same as I was before. I will be 30 in December. I do not make long-term plans now, but if these days return, it will be a bonus for me. I feel free again, and do not want to set too high ambitions." (DG/NM)
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